Indoor winter Tourism: Education and entertainment without the winter coat.

• Author: Mottl, Judy
• Position: TOURISM

Alaska's snowy months are a dream many lose themselves in while skiing, snowboarding, snow machining, ice fishing, dog mushing, aurora viewing, or any other number of activities for which the 49th state is exactly suited. But between trips to the slopes and the kennels, it's nice now and then to spend time in the great indoors, and there are many options around the state to keep the mind and body active and engaged.

Get a Game On

Fall and winter are prime time for Avalanche Escape Rooms, opened in Anchorage by Jim and Heather Donner in January of 2017.

Avalanche Escape Rooms offers four playing experiences: adventure games in which participants enter a themed room and use clues and elements to solve riddles and puzzles to "escape" before time runs out.

The games include Blitzkrieg, where four to eight players are part of an Allied Forces team and must infiltrate a vault, survive a booby-trapped bunker, and pull off a heist. Another game. The Cure (four to six players) is a race against the clock to help a doctor save his daughter.

Regularly scheduled games take place Friday, Saturday, and Sunday afternoons and evenings, and games can also be scheduled by appointment any day of the week.

In particular the holiday season brings party and special event activities to Avalanche, says Jim Donner. "We host lots of holiday parties during the week [of Christmas] and are completely booked for our regular scheduled times. In fact, we double our bookings during these times," says Donner.

Avalanche Escape Rooms draws a mixed clientele from military groups to families, students, and corporate groups or parties.

"Old and young alike have a great time. Our games are not meant to be physically difficult. You must think your way through, come up with ideas and try them, and work together to escape before time runs out," Donner adds.

"You won't see the same puzzle in different games. The challenge, can you make it out, that is what people really come for."

The variety of puzzles and themes between the different games allows guests to return and have a new experience time after time. Avalanche is currently building out two new rooms to increase the opportunity for new escape room experiences.

One of the new rooms is called It's Mine, a gold mine-themed game in which players explore a lost family mine, recover hidden inheritance, and escape traps set to protect it.

For a different game experience, Alaska is now home to Dave & Buster's, a game and restaurant...